Comparison
Overview
Company snapshot and where each provider is based.
| Field | Apifon | GMS |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Greek business-messaging platform for SMS, Viber, WhatsApp, RCS, Messenger and email campaigns, with a web platform plus REST and SMPP APIs. | Enterprise CPaaS and A2P messaging provider offering SMS, WhatsApp, Viber, RCS and email through a single API, plus messaging-hub and SMS-firewall services for mobile network operators. |
| Founded | 2014 | 2006 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 51-200 | 500-1,000 |
| HQ city | Thessaloniki | Baar |
| HQ country | Greece (EU) | Switzerland |
What's the differenceApifon edges ahead on the overall messaging.dev Score (52 vs 36). Apifon is private and headquartered in Thessaloniki, Greece (EU); GMS is private and based in Baar, Switzerland.
Channels
Which messaging channels each provider can send and receive on.
| Field | Apifon | GMS |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Yes | Yes |
| MMS | No | No |
| RCS | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Viber | Yes | Yes |
| Facebook Messenger | Yes | No |
| Telegram | No | No |
| Apple Messages for Business | No | No |
| Voice | No | No |
| Yes | Yes |
What's the differenceThey share 5 channels. Apifon additionally offers Facebook Messenger.
Developer Experience
How quickly a developer can sign up and send a first message.
| Field | Apifon | GMS |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service onboarding | Yes | No |
| Free developer credit | Free trial bonus on verification | No |
| Docs quality | high | med |
| Documentation | Open ↗ | Open ↗ |
| SDKs | Java, PHP, C#, Python, Node.js | iOS (Swift), Android (Kotlin) |
| Sandbox / test env | No | No |
| API types | REST, SMPP | REST |
What's the differenceApifon offers Self-service onboarding, while GMS does not; on SDKs, Apifon adds Java, PHP, C#, Python, Node.js; GMS adds iOS (Swift), Android (Kotlin); on API types, Apifon adds SMPP.
Data & Compliance
Data residency options and enterprise compliance certifications.
| Field | Apifon | GMS |
|---|---|---|
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| US data residency | No | No |
| Choose region | No | No |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 27001 | Yes | Yes |
| SOC 2 | No | No |
| HIPAA | No | No |
What's the differenceApifon and GMS are closely matched on data & compliance — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Data Retention
How long message content and metadata are stored, and whether that is configurable.
| Field | Apifon | GMS |
|---|---|---|
| Retention policy | Message logs (telephone numbers, message body, sender ID, timestamps) are retained for a default period of 24 months; other personal data is kept for as long as a contractual relationship exists. All personal data is stated to be hosted on servers located within the European Union. | Not publicly documented in detail. GMS's privacy notice states personal data is processed under EU GDPR (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) and held at its Switzerland headquarters (recognized by the European Commission as providing an adequate level of data protection); no specific retention periods for message content or metadata are published. GMS also holds ISO/IEC 27701 (privacy information management) certification. |
What's the differenceApifon: Message logs (telephone numbers, message body, sender ID, timestamps) are retained for a default period of 24 months; other personal data is kept for as long as a contractual relationship exists. All personal data is stated to be hosted on servers located within the European Union. GMS: Not publicly documented in detail. GMS's privacy notice states personal data is processed under EU GDPR (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) and held at its Switzerland headquarters (recognized by the European Commission as providing an adequate level of data protection); no specific retention periods for message content or metadata are published. GMS also holds ISO/IEC 27701 (privacy information management) certification.
Pricing & Credits
Pricing model and the cost of a first message.
| Field | Apifon | GMS |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Prepaid pay-as-you-go: customers top up a euro balance by card, PayPal, or bank transfer and messages are charged against it; per-message rates are quoted per account, not published. | Custom enterprise pricing negotiated with sales; no public self-service or per-message price list. |
| SMS starting price | Not published | Not published |
| Free developer credit | Free trial bonus on verification | No |
What's the differenceApifon and GMS are closely matched on pricing & credits — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Reach & Reliability
Global coverage and delivery dependability.
| Field | Apifon | GMS |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | 200 | 0 |
| Direct operator connections | No | Yes |
| Published uptime SLA | No published SLA | 99.99% network availability (claimed; no formal SLA published) |
What's the differenceApifon leads on Countries covered (200 vs 0 for GMS); GMS offers Direct operator connections, while Apifon does not.
Company & Trust
Independent reviews and company profile.
| Field | Apifon | GMS |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 4.8 | 0.0 |
| G2 reviews | 3 | 0 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 51-200 | 500-1,000 |
What's the differenceApifon leads on G2 rating (4.8 vs 0 for GMS); Apifon leads on G2 reviews (3 vs 0 for GMS).
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